New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-20
PRISONERS OF POVERTY.
SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
ONE WHO TRIED DOMESTIC SERVICE.

ONE WHO TRIED DOnEciAO orAs'A~~~
70 tAe Editor Of The Trtbune'
a,,. am y.,v much interested in tho domestic
..rv,ce question. As III. r." has given her exper-
tcncc IN the west, would like to give mine in the
City n; Nev-York to show how difficult 1t would DC
fur those prisoners OF Poverty" to obtain place LOT
the first time. Ten years ago my father was Pro-
fes, or in Western seminary. Sickness visited our
home and In short time father had to resign owing
10 Q prolonged sickness. Previous to THIS hso
visited New-York with my father so when poverty
overlook us decided to come to New-York; as Id"
. GOOD musical education thought could OBTAIN
nursery governess's situation, or someh'hg OF tne
Mind ana belp 10 support the family i was recon-
rnended 10 the Young Womens Christian Assoclatlon
7 brought certificates Of moral character nom tnree
elerrynen and from my Sunday-school superintenuenI
soon found out that 1t would be difficult for me 70
get any thing do without written reference from
New York Then / decided to take any kind Of work
that could get 10 do. / understood housework, was
very neat sewer, and had taken care OF my younger
brothers and sisters and fond Of children but l
had no written statement of all this from lady
therefore was treated as "greenhorn." went 70
nearly all of the employment Offices in the CITY, anu
paid my fees to be Of getting place at once, but
there was no place for me. One of them sent me
to SEQ a lady in West Nneteenth-st who wanted
ehilds nurse She read my recommendations: her
answer was: "Ohi you arc an educated grill i
don't want an educated girl, and besides do not
Ike girl who has only recomme ndations from genue-
men," Another lady who wanted companion OBJ
1ected because she thought "too refined TO carry
up coal, run errands, ETC." 1 answered advertise
mcnts, advertised long as had money, but all
to no purpose At last after three months tramping
through New-York, suffering hunger and privatons
indescrlt ablc country lady came along and hired me
"a childs nurse. / stayed fifteen months with nor
was nurse sramstres, cook, waitress and general
slop worker all combined, for $40 month Many
time was shaving In her kitchen at O'Clock In the
morning: when would lay INV wearied body dewn
friendless and alone. eighteen years Of age my hearth
broken down from such drudgeryl l was Obliged 70
70 homo again. But my lady refused to give me the
long wished for reference" because loft her before
sho got some one "Lv till my place." after giving
her three months notice.
have had two other places In New-York since;
my experience there has been much the same. give
your whole body ,and soub to the service Of your
employer and when faded to death you Can go-there
sro plenty more fresh ones to I'LL your place. Marion
Harland's letter 10 extremely mercliess ana cruoi
What experience Of domestic service has sne haa,
outsiie of her own house and her frends'f she is
antclv IGNORANT of the inhumanty some ladies'
towsrl thor help. Where Is the afternoon ana even
ing of each week gone % that once belonged 70 scr
vantsf Nowadays servants have no such privileges
thew have to como In deep humility and beg leave
to 70 out for single evening In the week or
month. II your clergyman calls to see you, wnere
arc you to receive him Certainly In tho Ktcheh
among the representatives OF all nations; then you
are afraid Of being caught with o man In the house
breaking the laws Of tho house. which foro'a ''0''
lowers"
human family of toilers, but olasl Is 1t now Ii IL
NAV truly DO called domestic slavery. 1hey now
let then cook rule supreme In the kitchen-the may
strive tho help II she pcases, for anything tho iany
cares provided everything Is palatable for her own
table MAY your influence be for good. Ia the wish
90 ONE WHO KNOWS.
Te,r- York, Jan. 7. 1887.